St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-21
Ungrateful Republicans Who
Scorn the Means Which
Gives Them Power. trs
Another Scheme to Give Hen
nepin the Political Earth
Next Campaign. lod

JtSIO1 scandinavian RepuD-
&Ez1.-S licans of Minneapolis,
and mas nave wondered why, in this
nOn-pOlitical period, this activity was
apparent. Perhaps if he had noted, at
the same time, that Hon. Albert Rice,
of the county of KandiyOhi, was in the
city a great deal, his wonder might have
ended. The fictitious deals in real eS-
tate conducted by the astute statesman
from Willmar were exploded when he
came down here in mid-winter, and be-
sides, there are no real estate men in
Window block, whittier he made so
many mysterious visits. Just at this
time Loren Fletcher was in Washing
ton, getting solid with the young Re-
publican contingent of ArgOnautS, so
Rice did not go to see him, though it is
well known that the purposes of
Fletcher and the ambitions of Rice run
counter. Albert Rice is figuring
closely for the seat now warmed
by McGill, while Fletcher has
made combination with Merriam, to
exchange influence in Ramsey and
Hennepin counties. Rice is one of the
shrewdeSt politicians of the state. In
the recent memorable campaign, when
only miracle saved the party of God
and morality, Rice figured the main
chance so nicely that he was elected by
handsome majority, running far ahead
| of his mates in the race. This fact has
imbued him with the belief that he can
easily be elected governor, and to that
end he is buSily at work setting the ma
chinery in motion. In the last campaign
| he did more work than all the others on
| his ticket, piled together. In Hennepin
| county his organization was superb, and
| the array of tickets he circulated was
| paralyzing. No matter how man
| wished to split or cross his ticket, he
| could find what he wanted, but always
with the name of A. E. Rice upon it.
| There was no AmeS combination OF
Democratic, Republican and Labor
| chances that was not represented with
| A. E. Rice upon it.
He carried the county.
He ran 1900 ahead of McGill.
Hennepin promised fair field and he
| is working it for all it is worth. just
now his attention is devoted to his cOun-
merOus Republican clubs now organic
| ing are in reality Rice clubs. The Dem
Ocratic Scandlnavians took the cue and
determined to organize central club,
| but when the time came NOrden hall
| held but handful of them. Another
effort was made and Algonquin club
| hall contained fewer than ten of them.
When it Is remembered that in the last
campaign one Democratic club alone
contained nearly 1000 Scandinavians
these failures are little singular.
When questioned about it prominent
Scandinavian official lacOnically re-
| marked:
ALBERT Rice" Ma.
Hennepin, of course, is not the only
| field of operation for the aspiring Will
marite. With stack of railroad passes
as big as Bible, he is skirmishing over
| the state, putting in lick here and
| there where he thinks it will do the
most good. Of course it will amount to
| nothing. At the polls Rice would turn
out heavier vote than Merriam, but he
| is weak, comparatively, in the art of
| municipality caucuses and setting up
delegates, and through this Merriam
will win. Delegates who leave home
FOR Rice will be for Merriam after they
have been in st. Paul four hours, and
out In this fact lies the interesting
and perplexing feature of the
next campaign. The heavy Scan
dinavian vote of Minnesota has
been the sole dependence of the
Republicans, just as the cOlOred vote is
greater than their majority in three
fOurthS of the Northern states. Yet the
| party men are now growing at the greed
| mess, as they call it, of the Scandinavian
office-seekers. They are now grumbling
at John f. Peterson, the register of
| deeds, with the latest office in the state.
They are ScoWling at p. p. SwenSOn,
the sheriff. They frOwn at the ambi-
ton of Knute Nelson, so long con-
gresham and now would-be senator.
Albert Rice and John Lind and Hans
MattsOn all are objects of regret, as l
know by personal information. But the
ScandinavianS know their power and
will assert their rights. These will be
denied, and revolt will result.
1t will settle Republicanism.
The Germans have already detected.
Without the powerful aid of the Scan-
dinavians and Germans, where will the
| party of the truly good be in Minnesota?
The drowning of Knute Nelson in
Victoria lake last year was but the pre-
Jude to the military drama in which
more than one Achilles will sulk IN his
tent. If Nelson and his friends are
knocked out next year, does any one
suppose they will kiss the hand that
smites them? The rebuff that Nelson
got. through Gilman last year, was as
snub to kick, compared to the treat
| ment i'm store next time. Nelson has ar
ranged with Gilman to turn over the
| seat in the fifty-flrst congress, but the
| district has not been consulted. From
present appearances Jim Hill will gets.
| G.COmstock into that seat, or Duluth will
press her claims too strongly for the
| StearnS county man and the combina-
| ton will be shattered. Then the me-
nagerie will cut loose. From their pri-
vate expressions | imagine the Repub-
! licanS have no thought of sending Mel
| son to the upper house of congress and
| it looks now as though they must ele-
vate him or lose him. p.
Mark the prediction. ~
Hennepin county wants little of the
| earth. itself. 1t has been so many years
since the metropolitan county has had
live senator that this time a vigorous
kick will he made for the prize.
Loren Fletcher wants to go to
congress, also. He has held
many honorable positions and
wants to step up little. Rich and pros
porous, he is casting about him for glory
and has offered 10 divide his salary
among 1.-THE boys if they will send him
to congress. Loren is both crafty and
popular-a combination that meets sue
cess half way, and will get the Republic
can nomination, which is as far as, pre-
dictiOn goes, this time. II Washburn is
made equally happy he will go to the
| senate, but this is not in the cOmbina-
ton that would run Fletcher for con-
| gress, Lane for Mayor. WorraIl for
| county attorney. Jim Eye for sheriff and
somebody else to succeed Judge Hicks.
| Dost like the picture? llELOT.